Panhandling friend's sounds like a good way to turn them in to acquaintances.

I'm not much on that idea.

Ken.

DanielB

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July 2, 2014 - 7:04 am

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My initial reaction to this stuff is "Yeah, right! Like that would ever work.."

But...

One indie artist I listen to, she announced about a year ago that she was going to try crowd-sourcing to raise money to put out an album. Needed 100K$ to put out a new album of the same quality that her band ever had when they were on the major labels and etc.

I honestly thought that would end up being an epic fail. They ended up raising well over a MILLION bucks. Enough for at least 10 albums.

So much for what I think about what will and won't work. LOL

On a much smaller scale, the past couple of years, most of the incidental stuff like strings, rosin, valve oil, instrument grease and cleaning cloths for my flute, guitar strings, picks, patch cords and etc.. It's been given to me. In a few cases by family, but mostly by friends that like my musical projects.

It's not like I go asking. But they're people that have listened to my stuff over the years and so when I get something like a flute (also a gift, btw), they hunt up the wishlists I have for family and get an item or two off them or they go to music stores and ask them what I'll need. It shows up in the mail or if they live close, they drop by the house with it.

(Note to Pierre.. Fiddlershop doesn't have a wishlist system. Just sayin'..)

It is not due to any "virtuosity" on the instruments on my part. Sometimes it happens off something like a 2 min sound recording of how the new flute sounded when I'd been playing it a whole 3 days.

I don't understand it. It isn't the way I'm used to thinking of the world working. Don't get me wrong, it is very much appreciated, and it reminds me that I have some of the best dang friends on the planet.

When I first saw this thread, my first reaction was to laugh at the idea.. But about 6 months ago, a friend liked a pieces I'd written for violin when he heard me play it. Out of the blue he asked "How good of a violin could we get you for $1,000?" I vetoed that concept, because that's too big a prezzie for me to be comfortable with. But the offer happened, it was serious, and it isn't like he's a rich guy. I was floored.

So maybe the concept in the original post isn't as crazy as I would usually think. Maybe the world has changed. Maybe it never was like I think it is.

It ain't like I've never been wrong before.

Anyway, that indie musician lady who crowd-sourced to raise 100K$ to put out an album and ended up with her supporters/fans/friends raising over a million did a talk about it that I watched recently.

Not saying "Oh, this will work, everybody should run out and do this to get an expensive violin!" But there's some thoughts that maybe do deserve some consideration.

"This young wine may have a lot of tannins now, but in 5 or 10 years it is going to be spectacular, despite the fact that right now it tastes like crude oil. You know this is how it is supposed to taste at this stage of development." ~ Itzhak Perlman

Fiddlerman

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July 2, 2014 - 8:41 am

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What a fantastic video.
Now time for me to ask you guys something.... Ahhhhh, Nevermind. LOL

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

DanielB

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July 2, 2014 - 11:49 am

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I also enjoyed the video. It challenges a lot of my attitudes and preconceived ideas about what is "realistic".

Harder to think "that's impossible" or "that would never work" when listening to someone talk who did stuff you would have called at least pretty darn unlikely.

"This young wine may have a lot of tannins now, but in 5 or 10 years it is going to be spectacular, despite the fact that right now it tastes like crude oil. You know this is how it is supposed to taste at this stage of development." ~ Itzhak Perlman

coolpinkone

California, the place of my heart

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July 2, 2014 - 12:49 pm

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Dang that is a good video... man!!

Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato

TerryT

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July 2, 2014 - 5:35 pm

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Love it!

I am amazed at how old people of my age are.....

Fiddlestix

Michigan, USA

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July 2, 2014 - 10:36 pm

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Excellent video. Very inspiring.

Ferret

Byron Bay Australia

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July 3, 2014 - 6:13 pm

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On the original link in the post

Would rather save and do what work I can to get what I want. If I can't raise the money, I do without.

I'm happy to give, happy to receive a unasked for gift (who doesn't like Christmas and birthdays)

But there is no way that I would beg money from friends.

Seen it all. Done it all. Can't remember most of ..... What was I saying????

DanielB

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July 4, 2014 - 9:48 am

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Ferret said
...
But there is no way that I would beg money from friends.

I am with you on that, Ferret. Particularly the points in the article in the original post where it suggests you hit up friends asking them for "between X and Y" dollars.

So far as I understand it (and my knowledge of such things as limited, I'll admit), that isn't quite what is usually meant by "crowd sourcing" or "crowd funding". Or maybe it usually is part of it, I don't know.

Other elements the article talked about, like doing fund-raiser recitals.. I could see that. That would seem (to me at least) more like fund-raising or busking, since there is something (entertainment) being offered in return for any donations.

Band I was in, years ago, we used to do "rent parties" to pay for our rehearsal space. We shared the space with a couple other bands, and once a month we'd throw a party with a dollar donation/cover at the door. Never thought of that as begging, though. It was more of a private gig, with multiple bands and refreshments provided. It was actually a good value, and it did indeed pay the rent.. Plus electric bill.. Plus some money set aside for refreshments and snacks for the next party.. plus budget for pizza for anybody willing to turn up the next day to help clean up after.

In other words, it always made the goal and then some. Some people did kick in more than a buck, because they wanted to, which was fine. The most we actually expected from it was it might raise a few bucks *towards* the rent. But we really underestimated the generosity of the audience and how many people might be interested in showing up in support of that kind of party. So I think there are at least possibilities to some of the ideas from the original post/article.

I could see how maybe somebody who is going to head off to a music conservatory or college and really needed a better instrument in a reasonable price range of up to several grand could actually maybe get at least some of it from doing some fund-raising events or gigs to get closer to that sort of a goal. Or if they promise they'll put out a CD album when they get the new instrument and everyone who donated at a certain level gets a copy as a special thank-you.

That's more what *I* would usually think of as "crowd sourcing" or "crowd funding", but I don't know.. My ideas on how it can work might be very limited compared to how it actually can work.

I can say, though, that even just talking about this forum/community, I have (just a few times) sent a set of strings or a needed material for a mod/repair or other small encouragement to other members. And I'm not going to bust anybody out, but I can also say that I know for a fact that I am not the only person in even just this particular thread that has done so. I also have gotten a few items myself that way. When that sort of thing happens, I feel it falls under "ain't nobody's business" and it is just a little help/encouragement between fellow musicians.

So I can see where it may be at least a possibility if someone in the sort of situation explained in the article needed a better instrument and didn't want to just expect their parents to go into debt for it or something. Some of the suggestions in the original article are not the way I personally would go about it, but for all I know, it could work.

"This young wine may have a lot of tannins now, but in 5 or 10 years it is going to be spectacular, despite the fact that right now it tastes like crude oil. You know this is how it is supposed to taste at this stage of development." ~ Itzhak Perlman